Desperate Times
by Kalana Fox
Summary: Desperate times call for desperate measures. And when you're an orphan on the street, what can you do?


I've been having a major influx of fic ideas. Most of them are because I'm playing ToS:DotNW and TOTALLY in love with Ratatosk x Marta because of it. Expect lots of ToS fics from because of them in the next little while.

But for now, this was a little something I wrote for the Pandora Hearts Kink Meme. Even though this has no kink or even anything of that nature, lol. But the prompt was simple enough so I decided to do it anyway. Plus the idea was rather cute.

**Prompt:** "Random drabble about an event/adventure with little Gil and Vincent when they're orphans on the streets anyone? :) Cute or angst, anything? :)"

So yeah, I wrote this in one sitting one night when I should've been in bed but didn't feel like it, XD.

*sigh*So many other prompts I wanna fill but too scared to do…

**Disclaimer:** Jun Mochizuki owns PH and all its awesomely insane characters! I only own this drabble and interpretation of an event.

Enjoy!!!!

* * *

He stared longingly at the freshly baked delicacy that had just been laid out on the stall. He was across the street, leaning against a building, yet the sweet aroma still wafted toward and around him, producing a growl of complaint from his very-empty stomach.

He silently placed a hand over it, as if the gesture would somehow make it shut up, and continued to stare at the fresh loaves of bread.

They had not eaten for at least several days, he knew. He also knew that in order to nourish both of them enough to keep them going for another day, it would take at least two loaves. However, two loaves took more time to swipe than one and thus put him at a greater risk of being caught and reprimanded and that would lead to both of them still having empty stomachs.

As such, he was caught in a puzzling predicament. Should he swipe only one and split the loaf so that they had nourishment for at least half a day, or should he take the risk and swipe two and hope he could be quick enough? His yellow eyes were glazed in calculation as he examined the stall from his distance as well as observing every patron that approached the cart.

The risk wouldn't be so great if his brother was competent enough to not screw up, but previous attempts in other towns had led the orphans to continuously be caught and left to go hungry. Thus, when they arrived in this town, Gil had made the decision that he would be the food collector of the pair. And what a _splendid_ job he was doing now!

As he watched yet another patron come and go from the stall he made up his mind.

Glancing around quickly to make sure no eyes were on him, he ducked down behind a row of barrels and slinked his way towards the bread stall, like a cat stalking towards an unsuspecting mouse.

The closer he got to the cart the stronger the aroma from the fresh bread hit him. And as the aroma got stronger so his stomach got increasingly louder in its complaints. Silently cursing he willed his stomach to be quiet so as not to give himself away.

By now he was very close to the bread stall, just next to it huddled beneath another cart and between two boxes. He was out of sight of anyone else for the time being.

Taking a moment to recalculate with his current position, his golden eyes never left his eventual prize of two steaming loaves of rye bread.

He carefully watched the stall keeper and any incoming patrons, waiting for the perfect opportunity to leap out and swipe the loaves and run off before the stall keeper and any witnesses could stop him. He positioned his legs into a pre-sprinting position and licked his lips in anticipation.

Finally, upon seeing an opening, he wasted no time in sprinting from his hiding place and snatched the two loaves from where they rested. He heard a woman gasp and heard the stall keeper curse and that was his instant cue to run. So he did.

However, he had failed to calculate in one important factor: He was a small child, with a small stride. The stall keeper was a tall, fit man with a much longer stride. It came as both a shock and an expectation when Gil felt the back of his ragged shirt bunch together and a strong force pull him back and up off the ground. He cursed aloud.

"Damn pest, stealing my products. I have half a mind to turn you over to the authorities right now."

"Excuse me," the stall keeper and Gil both looked up at the new arrival, "what's going on here?" the new man asked.

"Ah, this urchin was tryin' to steal two loaves of my bread. Grubby brats, the lot of them." the stall keeper shook Gil a little bit, as if trying to make the boy relinquish his hold on the stolen goods.

Gil only clutched his prize tighter, turning his head to glare daggers at his captor. The glare went unnoticed.

"Ah, is that all?" the new man reached up to remove the hood of his long, burgundy cloak, which Gil had just now noticed he was wearing. "How much?"

Gil's eyes widened and he turned his full attention to the now-revealed man in front of them. He looked like he was wealthy, the clothes beneath his cloak made of many silks and velvets, contrasting sharply with Gil's torn and ragged excuses for clothes. His hair was blonde, tied back into an insanely long braid that disappeared somewhere behind the man. His face held a goofy, yet genuine smile and his eyes were a sparkling emerald.

"I beg your pardon, sir?" asked the stall keeper, apparently just as shocked at the man's original question as Gil.

"How much for those two loaves? The poor boy must be starving, it would be awfully cruel to just let him go hungry, don't you agree?"

"Ah...well...I guess..." the man paused to glance over the boy he still held aloft in the air. Gil merely clutched his prize even more tightly to him, determined not to lose them.

"20 gold, sir."

The blonde man nodded and produced two gold coins as if out of nowhere. He handed them to the stall keeper, who promptly set him down, albeit a bit roughly.

Gil glanced back at the blonde man who saved him, receiving a warm smile. Gil felt his face flush, but then his stomach reminded him of what he was supposed to be doing and he swiftly ran off to find his brother. Hopefully he was still where he left him.

He ran as quickly as his little legs would carry him, but all the while as he ran the image of that mysterious man's eyes and smile never left his mind.

* * *

Yeah! First PH fic ever, lol.

If I ever happen to fill another prompt on the meme I might repost it here. Maybe. We'll see...

Reviews are lovely to see in my mailbox. Just saying.

~Kalana Fox


End file.
